Ohio State, NCAA to investigate Terrelle Pryor
According to 10 TV News in Ohio, the NCAA and Ohio State University have opened a separate investigation into quarterback Terrelle Pryor and whether he received cars and extra benefits as a Buckeye. This news comes on the heels of head coach Jim Tressel’s resignation on Monday.
Records obtained by 10 Investigates showed that Pryor owns a 2006 Dodge Charger. However, video taken by 10 Investigates showed Pryor entering a 2009 Dodge Challenger with dealer license plates, 10 Investigates’ Paul Aker reported.
The 2009 vehicle was tracked to Auto Direct, located at 2300 E. Dublin-Granville Rd.
NCAA rules prohibit players from getting free access to cars because of their status as players.
10 Investigates spotted Pryor in the performance car from late March through mid-April at his home, around Columbus and at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, where the football team practices.
Traffic tickets showed that Pryor was pulled over at least three times in the past several years, driving cars that belonged to dealerships, Aker reported.
One of the vehicles was a GMC Denali that belonged to car salesman Aaron Kniffin. In the past, Kniffin and Pryor denied any wrongdoing involving the vehicle. Kniffin recently told 10 Investigates that he gave Pryor the Denali because he wanted to trade his Hyundai and planned to take the Denali to Pennsylvania to show his mother.
The story goes on from there but you get the point: Pryor is in deep trouble here. His career as a Buckeye is certainly in doubt and while we can only speculate what the fallout will be from this NCAA investigation, there’s reason to believe that Pryor has taken his last snap at OSU.
It seems pretty clear from these reports that Pryor was receiving more than just free tattoos. I’m sure it’s like this for other major college programs across the nation, but that doesn’t matter. Ohio State has gotten caught and they’re the ones in the spotlight right now. You get the feeling that things are only going to get worse for the Buckeyes before they get better.
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As a Buckeye fan, I’m not holding my breath on Pryor. If he’s getting car benefits, then he should be suspended for the year.
Ohio State needs to hope that sanctions go specifically to Tressel and individual players as opposed to the program.
Sorry Geraldo, you can’t sanction Tressel, he’s retired! And at this point, it’s an “institutional control” problem . . . I’m just annoyed that all this Ohio State business is detracting attention from Auburn, who obviously had a lot of crap going on last year . . .
Pryor gambled and lost on staying in college this year . . . it’s gonna be grim for you guys. Too bad, this was supposed to be an exciting year with the new format . . . the only upside is hopefully Iowa can attract a few more recruits from the football breadbasket known as Ohio . . .
There is a stench around College Football now and it doesn’t or won’t stop at Ohio. Lets face it people, sports are a nasty business and there is gambling involved.
PS. I don’t want to hear about poor “little sisters of the poor”, and East Picinic State and how great and how honest their program is.
Where there is money on the line, there is coruption.
@jester
Actually, I think I’m correct here. In the notice of allegations, the NCAA specifically did not cite a lack of institutional control. Also, tressel still has to appear in front of the committee with OAU and he will get punishment personal to him. He can decline to appear but then will probably get some kind of personal ban going forward.
Osu received no notice of other players getting benefits beyond the players identified in the FBI report. There is no evidence that any OAU official beyond tressel had knowledge of any improper benefits. They also self reported immediately when they got notice, and now tressel has resigned. Many college football experts this this may mitigate the penalties for the institution.
It all might be wishful thinking on my part as the NCAA is loaded with fools, but tressel will definitely be receiving a separate punishment regardless of his resignation.
That’s a sad story to lose a long time coach but that’s life, you can’t help the changes every time. The thing they must do is to move on and find another better coach. And focus to the team’s goal.
I hope you’re right G, because as much as I hate OSU, I’d rather beat a full-strength Big 10 rather than a sanctioned one. I’d never want to gloat a Big 10 championship just to be told, “Well yeah, because Ohio State was on probation that year.”
Right now it’s a lot of fun to give Michigan fans a hard time because they are just crap right now. But out here in L.A., you can’t really slam USC because people just respond with “f-ing NCAA” and go on a tirade about punishment fitting the crime.
On the flip-side,I’m a bit of a hypocrite because I don’t see how Auburn skipped through any type of sanctions etc. last year.